To be annoyed at how I was dealt with in this pharmacy?

[McHappymeal]

I have hayfever each summer during May and June. Normally it's mild, I don't need to take tablets every day, only if I am sniffly, but this summer it's been a bit worse. I've been taking Loratadine, which tbh isn't working as well as it has done in the past, so I thought I'd go to the local pharmacy and see if there was something else I could give a try.

I went to the pharmacy yesterday morning, and explained to the woman behind the counter that my Loratadine wasn't working as well as it had done before, and I'd like to try something else, and what did they recommend. She said she'd ask the pharmacist so she went off to ask him and was gone about 10 minutes. The pharmacist didn't come and speak to me himself.

Eventually she came back and said 'He says you've got to keep taking Loratadine. It is working. He says you'll have to buy some nasal sprays instead'

I got really cross at a) being told I 'had to' do something, b) not even being talked to about alternatives, c) that the pharmacist didn't come out to talk to me and d) he took it upon himself to decide that something was working without even talking to me.

I said that I am a grown adult and I have made the decision that I would like to try something else, so could she go and ask the pharmacist what else I could try? And off she went again and lo and behold was back in 2 minutes and suggested another type of medication, and sold it to me. I don't know why they couldn't have just done that in the first place?

AIBU to be peed off with how I was treated?

From what I understand, there are two different types of antihistamine. You can get used to one so need to switch to the other. Surely the pharmacist should know that? Why the pharmacist didn't just come and talk to you

YANBU, it aggravates me no end when I have to buy stuff over the counter 'is it for you/what are your symptoms/have you had them before'

I know that they are doing their job and i would be shouting if they sold me something dangerous but he could have stirred himself to convey the message to you himself...ponders getting a minion all of my own

Complain to head office? Was it a large chain? One with a head office in Nottingham?

That's what I was finding hard to understand, DeepPurple. I think he thinks he's too important to deal with the minions otherwise known as customers, it certainly seems to be the way in there.

It was a chain, but it wasn't the one with the Nottingham Head Office, although I do find the pharmacy staff equally arrogant in my local branch of that one too!

did you end up with cetirizine? Seems to be that and loratidine that is most common to take. Dh takes loratidine every day for perrenial rhinitis plus a nasal spray (nasacort I think)

Yep that's the one, ilovepowerhoop.

I once complained about this and was told that the Pharmacist would need to completely log out of his computer, under confidentiality laws, so avoids having to leave it unattended, to speak to a customer, unecessarily. There are Pharmacists on MN, so they will know if that is true

"I don't need to take tablets every day, only if I am sniffly"

Isn't the latest research saying that you should start taking AH's before the season starts and stay on them, until the end?

This is what my eldest DD has been told by more than one doctor.

I may have had a little bit of a meltdown the day i was refused canesten over the counter - it was quarter to five on a fridday, i was busy with five kds and because i'd had canesten the same week from them they insisted i had to see a doctor and be prescribed it, and they wouldn't give it to me.

How i wished my itch on them, bastards.

Wasn't the best customer service but to be honest I wouldn't expect more information from a pharmacist than I could find out for myself in a couple of minutes online.

I have rhinitis. I take an antihistimine (cetirizine) for it. If it stopped working, I would try loratidine or the other one that's still only available under brand name only (can't remember what it's called now) If those didn't work, I would go to the doctor to get a steroid nasal spray on prescription. I'm not sure what more you expected your pharmacist to suggest?

They are arrogant, no doubt and often see customers as a nuisance. I get fed up with being lectured when I buy codeine. I trained as a fucking pharmacist for god's sake! It's so patronising.

Its a really bad year for hayfever. I take loratidine usually but its doing nothing, certirizine seems to be working much better. But yes, you should take it every day for full effect.

Is that right, about needing to swap? I took loraridine for a While but it did bugger all, have been on cetirizine daily for about 4 years ago. am allergic to all sorts, not just pollen and grass.

I agree, it can frustrating when you just want a simple question answered by a pharmacist, but I now know mine and they know I'll have done my research!